SFPD searching for leads to catch killer of Cash App's Bob Lee
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco police are looking for evidence and leads to catch the person who stabbed and killed Cash App founder Bob Lee early Tuesday morning.
A wounded Lee was holding his side as he walked up to a driver in a parked vehicle that had its hazard lights on, according to surveillance video obtained by the San Francisco Standard. He appeared to show the driver his injury before collapsing. The vehicle drove away without visibly offering help, according to the paper.
Lee got up and made it to a nearby apartment building before he collapsed again.
It has not been determined whether the driver knew for certain that Lee was injured. It is also unclear whether the driver took off out of fear and didn't know the exact circumstances.
Under state law, citizens aren't required to assist during emergencies, though it is encouraged, according to San Jose-based firm Corsiglia McMahon & Allard.
"In California, there is no duty to rescue or assist another person who is in danger or in an emergency situation. This means that you cannot be held liable for not helping out; neither a lawsuit nor criminal charges can be filed," the firm wrote on its website.
However, the state's Good Samaritan Law encourages people to help others and provides protection from legal liability over negligence.
Officers found the man around 2:30 a.m. on the 400 block of Main Street, near the city's Embarcadero waterfront.
"Officers rendered aid and summoned medics to the scene" but Lee died at a hospital, police said.
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Bob Lee, former Square chief technology officer and Cash App founder, killed in San Francisco
The former chief technology officer of Square and Cash App founder, was reportedly stabbed and killed in San Francisco early Tuesday. Bob Lee, 43, of Mill Valley, was found wounded in the Rincon Point neighborhood and died at the hospital.
The investigation into the fatal stabbing is ongoing as the suspect remains outstanding, said San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott.
"I want to assure everyone that our investigators are working tirelessly to make an arrest and bring justice to Mr. Lee and his loved ones, just as we try to do on every homicide that occurs in our city," Scott said in a statement.
Scott would not comment on evidence nor would he speculate on the circumstances of the crime.
Lee was fatally stabbed in the densely populated Rincon Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, near Google’s office and Oracle Park, home to the San Francisco Giants. The neighborhood is a mix of offices and modern condo buildings.
His death further enflamed debate over public safety in San Francisco and its moribund downtown, which has not yet bounced back from the pandemic. Twitter’s owner Elon Musk took to the social media site to post that "violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately" and tagged the city’s district attorney.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins told KTVU that she will hold anyone who commits violent crime to account.
"As the top law enforcement officer in this city and county, I will ensure that if somebody is arrested for this crime, that we prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law," she said.
Lee was a prominent figure in the tech world.
"From large contributions to Android at Google, to being the first CTO of Square, in that time creating Cash App, and working with us here at Mobilecoin, Bob surely had an impact that will last far beyond his short time on earth," said MobileCoin CEO Josh Goldbard.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.